Mother calls for changes to drug treatment programs

Carla Fenton-Katchmar and her daughter, Chante Katchmar,16, who died of a drug overdose on Sunday.

The mother of a Saskatoon teen who died from a drug overdose in Edmonton on Sunday is calling on the government to make changes to drug treatment programs.

Carla Fenton-Katchmar says parents need more power to help addicted teens.

Her daughter Chante Katchmar,16, died Sunday from an overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol in a downtown Edmonton condominium.

Fenton-Katchmar said her daughter took her first drug, ecstasy, when she was 13 years old, which led to other stronger drugs.

"When you are surrounded by people who do nothing but drugs and drinking and pills, that's what you see and what you believe," said Fenton-Katchmar. "She just got in that rut and she got deeper and deeper and I tried to pull her out."

Fenton-Katchmar got two court orders forcing her daughter back into treatment after previous stays in rehabilitation failed.

But she said the programs were too short and ineffective.

"The problem is the kids can walk out at any moment if they don't want to stay," she said. "They walk out and they have the right. We as parents have nothing. Our hands are tied behind our back."

The path to recovery is a long one for most addicts, said Kathy Willerth, the director of mental health and addictions.

"It certainly isn't uncommon for people to go to the 28 day programs a number of times," said Willerth. "They would have a relapse and have them go back."

Events surrounding overdose

Carla Fenton-Katchmar said her daughter's death still doesn't feel real.

Chante Katchmar started taking ecstasy when she was 13 years old.

"We haven't seen our daughter yet so we want to deny that she's gone," she said.

Paramedics were called to the complex after a man in the unit said he and four other friends began feeling sick after taking some pills.